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One of the most thrilling experiences when you visit Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica is seeing monkeys. It is so much fun to watch the cute, miniature-sized Squirrel Monkeys jump and play, and marvel at the ingenious antics of clever White-faced Capuchin Monkeys. You’ll never tire of watching Spider Monkeys swing gracefully through the trees with their long arms, legs and tails. And the haunting call of Howler Monkeys will greet you at dawn, and close your day at dusk.

All four kinds of monkeys are active during the day and live in the treetops. You can see them using their strong limbs and prehensile tails (almost like a third hand) to swing between the trees when you walk the trails at Playa Nicuesa Lodge or on a visit to the Piedras Blancas National Park. On the kayaking tour in the Esquinas River mangrove estuary, you can frequently see White-faced Capuchin Monkeys and also Squirrel Monkeys.

The smallest of the Costa Rican monkeys is the Central American Squirrel Monkey. Adult males average 0.8 kg (1.8 lb) and adult females about 0.7 kg (1.5 lb). Once listed as endangered, in 2008 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revised its status to “vulnerable”. Squirrel Monkeys have the most restricted range of living of all the monkeys, found only on the central and south Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

The other three species have wider ranges, being found in forests from Mexico to Ecuador. The White-faced Capuchin is the second smallest monkey in Costa Rica, while the endangered Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey is the largest. The Mantled Howler is the second largest and is most known for loud calls made by males, especially at dawn and at dusk that can be heard for several kilometers.

It is amazing, that in this day and age, scientists are still discovering completely new species of plants and animals in the world. You would think that everything had already been discovered.
In Costa Rica, for instance, recent reports reveal that 5,000 new species of animals and plants have been discovered and classified between 2011 and 2013. The finding is part of the country’s National Biodiversity Strategy (ENB in Spanish) for 2014-2020, which follows the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. Most of the new 5,000 species found are insects. The others include a few orchids, mushrooms, mollusks, fish, reptiles and birds.

In the world so far, scientists say they have identified between 1.5 and 1.8 million animal and plant species, about half of which are insects. Beetles are the largest group with 300,000 species. In comparison, there are only 4,500 species of mammals recognized on the planet. Costa Rica, although a tiny country occupying only 0.03% of the planet’s landmass, hosts more than 500,000 plant and animal species. Keeping with the world trend, Costa Rica has about 300,000 kinds of insects. (Anyone who has ever walked into a Costa Rican rainforest without bug repellent knows this!)
Scientists estimate there are probably roughly 8.7 million species existing on Earth, according to a 2011 study in the journal PLoS Biology, published by the Public Library of Science. The crucial point is that approximately 83% of those plant and animal species have yet to be discovered. Scientists calculate that there are probably 6.5 million species living on land, and 2.2 million in the ocean, but that 86% of land-inhabitants and 91% of ocean-dwellers are still roaming at large undiscovered, described or cataloged, reports the study.

At Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, you can see an abundance of plant and animal life. Located
on the Golfo Dulce next to the Piedras Blancas National Park, the award-winning eco-lodge features several unique ecosystems – primary and secondary rainforest, ocean and mangrove forest. Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge offers nature and adventure tours, yoga classes and retreats, family vacations, and honeymoon trips.

Coming back from the waterfall, walking down the Monkey trail we heard a big noise and the tree branches breaking. We stopped completely and stood quiet paying attention to the forest to realize that it was the jungle mafia, yes the White Face Capuchin Monkeys giving us a warning: “HEY YOU GUYS! This is our territory”.

Mike and Lisa were captivated by the scout of the group and the troop behavior. These are the smartest monkeys in the Tropical Rainforest, they are opportunists (they eat everything) and they can live up to 45 years. Capuchin Monkeys travel in packs from 6 to 8 males and as Mark and Lisa witness it, they fight to protect their territory.

The Mango Guest House is a 2 story accommodation that has 4 private rooms. Set in a beautiful jungle garden area with mango trees on all sides and open views of the surrounding rainforest. Each room has private entrance, beautiful hardwood floors, private bathroom, private terrace, louver doors and windows that wrap around the room to afford panoramic views. Rooms have queen beds (or twin beds upon request) with mosquito netting and ceiling fans. The Mango Guest House is separate from the Main Lodge.

The mango house is great for all types of travelers. Especially a good choice for friends or families that want to be close, but also have the privacy of your own room with private bathroom. Also great for single travelers or those who are a bit nervous about staying in the jungle, as the mango rooms are more in an open area then the private cabins that are tucked into the rainforest. Also great for parties of approximately 6-10 that want to rent all 4 rooms at once.

One Bedroom Cabin

These cabins are very private and set apart from all other accommodations. Tucked into the rainforest affording you a unique feeling of being in an amazing natural setting, yet with design and comfort details that has been described as simple yet jungle chic. Each cabin has a private entrance, beautiful hardwood floors, private open air shower-bathroom, private terrace, louver doors and windows that wrap around the room to afford panoramic views. Cabins have queen beds (or twin beds upon request) with mosquito netting and ceiling fans. The garden open air shower is within the cabin's bathroom, yet allows you to look at nature all around. Look out for the peeping monkeys!

Cabin Suite

The new Cabin Suite is also very private and set apart from all other accommodations. Tucked into the rainforest affording you a unique feeling of being in an amazing natural setting, yet with design and comfort details that have been described as simple, yet jungle-chic. The cabin has a private entrance, beautiful hardwood floors, private open air shower-bathroom, private terrace,mosquito netting over the beds, ceiling fans, louver doors and windows that wrap around the room to afford panoramic views of the surrounding jungle. The Cabin Suite is similar in size to the two bedroom cabin, but set in a large loft like room with a removable partition wall to add flexible space for families and groups. With the partition in place it creates two large bedrooms that can accommodate 4 to 5 guests in a variety of bedding options. The Cabin Suite is also great for couples seeking more space, as well as the luxury of a comfortable sitting area, set up with a couch and chairs.

Two Bedroom Cabin

This is a private cabin much like the single cabins but larger with two bedrooms and a common den that can also be converted for another bedroom. This is a great choice for families, especially with younger children. The cabin is set at the edge of the jungle but only a few steps from the main lodge building. Each cabin has a private entrance, beautiful hardwood floors, private open air shower-bathroom, private terrace, mosquito netting over the beds, ceiling fans, louver doors and windows that wrap around the room to afford panoramic views of the jungle. The cabin has one large bathroom complete with our signature garden open air shower that is designed to allow you to look at nature all around. The cabin can accommodate up to 5 people. However, we recommend that families with older children or groups of adults that want to be near each other also consider two rooms in the mango guest house. Two rooms in mango guest house will give you more privacy amongst your group and an additional bathroom.

Jaguar House

2 storey, 3 bedroom house surrounded by lush jungle.
First floor has a living room, bedroom and full bath with beautiful open air shower.
Loft-like second storey with master bedroom, 2nd bedroom , full bath and large open terrace. Let the crashing of the waves lull you to sleep!